PERTURB Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'perturb' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate , discompose , disquiet , disturb , fluster , and upset . While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions. // perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

Q: In what contexts can 'agitate' take the place of 'perturb'?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement. // in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

Q: When would 'discompose' be a good substitute for 'perturb'?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress. // discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

Q: When is 'disquiet' a more appropriate choice than 'perturb'?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb , disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind. // the disquieting news of factories closing

Q: When can 'disturb' be used instead of 'perturb'?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption. // the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Q: Where would 'fluster' be a reasonable alternative to 'perturb'?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation. // his declaration of love completely flustered her

Q: When might 'upset' be a better fit than 'perturb'?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief. // the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

perturb

verb

pər-ˈtərb

Definition of perturb

as in to disturb

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the caller's strange remark perturbed me enough to keep me awake that night

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How does the verb perturb contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, fluster, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

In what contexts can agitate take the place of perturb?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When would discompose be a good substitute for perturb?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When is disquiet a more appropriate choice than perturb?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb, disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When can disturb be used instead of perturb?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Where would fluster be a reasonable alternative to perturb?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When might upset be a better fit than perturb?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of perturb Vitello, three hours removed from being ejected for the second time in three days, was still perturbed. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2026 Having a motivated and slightly perturbed Baker Mayfield won’t hurt. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 So, the notion that vaccines in any way weaken or overwhelm or perturb our immune system is just nonsensical. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Some people seemed perturbed to discover that Cheekface sound like, well, Cheekface. — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perturb

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturb

Verb

She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a press conference on Tuesday that Lieu had a criminal history involving firearms and disturbing behavior.

— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturb

Verb

Know when to ask for another ball and try your best not to be distracted by a nice rack.

— Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
The compelling series achieves a provocative dissection of it all with rare confidence without the overindulgence of distracting CGI tossed in for sheer spectacle.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of distract

Verb

Gee, who used to pop into fraternity parties unannounced to keep tabs on them, said he is not bothered by the reintegration of the three formerly rogue organizations.

— Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
This is a dense picture—there’s almost too much to unpack, if you can be bothered to care about any of it.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of bother

Verb

Abiy’s persistent calls for sovereign access to Eritrea’s Red Sea port of Assab have alarmed Eritrea and deepened the rift.

— KHALED KAZZIHA, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
But the idea that fine adaptations of great books need to be stopping points, rather than springboards, is alarming by itself.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of alarm

Verb

But the long gearing also has its benefits in fast driving, allowing full-throttle use without overwhelming the chassis or unsettling the rear end on corner exit.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
But at the same time, Nellis said, significant unfunded spending commitments could unsettle financial markets and push government borrowing costs higher.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsettle

Verb

As for Adebayo, the Heat doesn’t seem to concerned about his groin issue.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Unions are concerned the bots — which Simbe claims can save employees up to 50 hours of work per week — could put human employees out of work.

— Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of concern

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pertness

perturb

perturbable

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“Perturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturb. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of perturb

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